Knee length summer dresses with waist tie or elastic. Not clingy!

[Justkoko]

Where are all the stylish dresses? 5ft3 so midi usually end up at ankles and swamp me.
Just looking for a simple shape, jersey or linen would be fine, open neckline, but must come in at the waist, either with elastic or a thin tie belt. Just covering knees ideally, not too long or it overwhelms me. Everything seems to be in garish prints, I can't find a single thing. There used to be lots of these type of dresses about.

Well done for even attempting that! Going from a 16 to a 12 is tricky, there's a lot of adjusting there. I bet it doesn't look shit at all 😊

Thanks all, and I do take your point @Floisme it just seems to be tricky to find something just right. I'm short waisted with larger bust so if I'm not careful I can just feel like a block. 😫 just want something in a flowy fabric that skims rather than clings, and not stiff like poplin. Tie waists work when they have a sort of blousey top that almost has the tucked in but loosely look. If that even makes sense!

https://www.marksandspencer.com/longline-beach-shirt/p/clp23056464?intid=mobile_app_pdp_share

This would probably work, not too fussy at the neckline, but probably too see through as it is a beach cover up!

That's almost identical to the linen Primark one I got last year - I saw them in there again recently, so definitely worth a look. Not often Primark comes up trumps, but on this occasion it did!

Thanks! It's a shapeless sack with frayed sleeves - but you could call it a 1920s-inspired shift with unstructured details

I feel like a shapeless sack😣 off to Spain for Easter and and so bloated and horrible. Just tried on the plain jersey shift dresses and they look terrible over the tummy. Granted its TOM but it's just bad. Large bust, large tummy, and I swell in the slightest heat on my ankles and wrists. Supposed to be looking forward to it but just feel dread.
I need something or I'll just be in linen trousers and plain old t shirts all week, feeling as plain as I look. I don't have a large budget, I'd be just as happy with a couple of things from a supermarket.

Have you tried midi length shirt waisted dresses with collars? I find they are far more forgiving than shift dresses

Fyi I'm a professional seamstress. It really isn't that difficult to do a hem or to raise a waist if there's an existing waist seam.

What about this? I think the tiered skirt would be flattering and as it's a bit more structured it won't be as floppy as a jersey dress, which I don't find very flattering these days.

Might this work, OP? Probably a bit longer than you'd like, but it looks quite cool for holidays? It's cotton jersey. Shirt-waisters are also a good call I think.

Also, if you get a properly petite dress you might be less averse to the idea of midi when on, as it should be cut a bit shorter? I actually think that a few inches past knee-length is more elongating - that or just above & showing the ankle (midaxi if I must!).

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su769554/h56890

Longer but is cotton & comes in petite, so you could take a bit off the bottom easily?

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su769460/w55343

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su759823/h52632

Also cotton jersey.

Cotton, tie waist & pretty for holidays? Described as a maxi but it's not really. You couldn't shorten this though.

https://www.next.co.uk/style/sv063837/v74490

https://www.next.co.uk/style/su770190/h76786

Too short?! Knees on view ... too expensive for what it is, as well.

It's quite difficult to find things that are knee-length right now, let alone any of your other requirements, OP!

Seasalt has an outlet shop on eBay & has some petite dresses like this linen one.

https://ebay.us/m/OF6BMt

Or this, also linen petite. Don't know if these are in your size though, as I don't think you've given it?

https://ebay.us/m/QC3aFb

In navy too. If not in your size on the outlet, you could look elsewhere on eBay or Vinted?

https://ebay.us/m/S9nVB7

These are all cotton or linen petite styles on the Seasalt outlet shop. If not in your size, have a look elsewhere on eBay or Vinted. I like the green striped one!

There is this jersey dress in petites if you sort by knee-length on Boden, but not much else. I would call above-the-knee though! https://www.boden.com/products/women-naomi-short-jersey-dress-navy-d1296nav

Whereas if you shop Boden by midi petite, there are vastly more options. And some are shorter than others. Probably above your budget, but worth looking at to see if you can find secondhand?

www.boden.com/collections/womens-petite-dresses

This is lovely, but full price.

https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/haneth-waisted-linen-midi-dress

Also not reduced, but linen & two nice colours.

https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/fen-violet-linen-midi-dress

https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/water-mint-jersey-midi-dress

I like this too. Nice colour.

https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/zinnia-short-sleeve-midi-jersey-dress

Good for hols?

https://www.seasaltcornwall.com/lowland-heather-sleeveless-linen-midi-dress